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I'm getting a new 30 gallon tank and I was deciding what I wanted to get in it. I've narrowed it down to African chichlids, but now I'm stuck. I want to stick with a certain lake, but I'm not sure if I want to go with Mawalis or Tanganyikans. I decided to make this post to show the pros and cons of each and to see what you think.

This is what I have so far (excuse any errors, I don't have any experience with Africans)

Mawali
pros:

cheaper
possibly more colorful
possibly more active
easier to find
bigger: attention grabbing

cons:
bigger: less fish per tank
more aggressive

Tanganyika
pros:

less aggressive
possibly more interesting behavior-wise
smaller : more fish

cons:
MUCH more expensive
smaller: too small to notice easily
smaller: more fish = more $$$$
bottom dwellers: again, might not see them

That's all I have so far, please put your 2 cents in

- DJ :88)

Well, to start, there's a huge variety in Lake Tang that makes it hard to quanify in broad generalizations - for example, Tropheus are often called the Mbuna of Lake Tang and they're similar in habits, aggression, feeding, and they certainly draw attention to a tank. Also, it's hard to walk away from a Front tank or a thriving multi colony.

I'd say your Malawi pros are all right on the mark, plus many Malawian fish are hardier than many Tangs.
To the cons I'd remove "bigger" - some of the biggest cichlids in the world come from Lake Tang, after all. I'd add to the cons that all too many mbuna and peacocks for sale are either hybrids or just bad-quality. Also, while mbuna are more aggressive than many Tangs, I wouldn't say that of Peacocks or Haps and there are plenty of exceptions on either side. You can plan for a gentle tank from either lake or an aggressive tank from either.


The Tanganyikan pros - again, the aggressive thing is too broad a generalization. More interesting behavior - I'd say yes, but that's better qualified as "more interesting VARIETY of behavior." Lake Malawi is, well, stuffed to the gills with herbivorous mouthbrooders, with a few exceptions. Lake Tang has shelldwellers, serious piscivores, sand-spawners, cavedwellers, the only genus of true schooling cichlid, the smallest cichlids in the world ... a huge variety. And Tanganyika's more interesting evolutionarily speaking.


The cons are pretty accurate, although again "smaller" has to be knocked off the list, both times - you certainly don't have to buy shelldwellers! A tank of Fronts or Tricoti isn't going to go unnoticed by anyone at all. And again, Tanganyika is extremely variable - if you don't want bottomdwellers (not that they really stick to the bottom anyway ) you have a million other options.


Hope that helped! Oh, and on the cost thing - it varies, but remember that Tang fry will then be worth more than their more common Malawian counterparts. That's the nice thing about price differences when you talk about something that reproduces!

-Molly
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